Here are the franchise and transition numbers for each position, along with a list of players who could receive the franchise or transition tag as determined by the PFW staff. Players who would be restricted free agents in an uncapped year but unrestricted free agents in a capped year are denoted with an asterisk. (Positions are listed in descending order from highest franchise tender to lowest):

With free agency around the corner — and the very real prospect of the 2010 league year beginning without a salary cap — this edition of the NFList takes a closer look at players who could receive the franchise or transition tag.

Free agents can receive either the so-called “exclusive” or “non-exclusive” franchise tags. A free agent receiving the “non-exclusive” tag must be tendered a one-year contract that is the greater of (1) 120 percent of his previous year’s salary or (2) the average of the top five salaries at the position at which he played the most games in the previous league year. Also, the free agent receiving the tag can negotiate with other teams, but his team can match an offer from another club; should it decline, it will receive two first-round picks as compensation.

The “exclusive” tag bars a free agent from negotiating with other teams. It guarantees a free agent a one-year contract the greater of (1) the average of the top five salaries at his position as of the end of restricted free agency in 2010 or (2) either of the criteria listed above for a non-exclusive tag.

In a year with a salary cap, teams can exercise one franchise or one transition tag, the latter of which also requires a one-year tender offer but at a lower salary than a franchise player. A player who receives the transition tag can sign an offer sheet elsewhere, but his current team has the right of first refusal.

However, in an uncapped year, teams can use an additional transition tag. Most importantly, an uncapped year would require players to have six accrued seasons to become unrestricted free agents, a development that would reduce the number of players who could garner the franchise tag.